Making the news today....

[Steven P]

1 hour ago, sime42 said:

Who is Robert Prevost, the new Pope Leo XIV and first American pope?

WWW.BBC.CO.UK

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Pope Leo XIV has supported his predecessor and focus will turn on whether he continues Church reforms.

 

He sounds promising at least. I was concerned that he might be a Tango disciple but it seems not.

 

Sounds like he has his own mind as far as these things go - an organisation as large as his has a certain momentum so I am not expecting him to suddenly make massive changes but small and steady slight alterations. Which is a benefit I think, far less inclined as politicians to follow the 'will of the people' and act rashly, to ensure being elected again, but in it for the long term

[Steven P]

Second comment, I saw the news last night of him being offered to the crowds below and to a person, every one of the crowd had their phone videoing rather than living for the moment... almost as if they'd forgotten that moment was covered on every TV channel, every angle, in far better quality than their Nokia will ever record. Just hit record on the VCR and job done.

 

 

[sime42]

We seem to live our lives vicariously through our phones these days. I was at a VE Day event the other day and there was a Spitfire and Hurricane fly by. I looked around and almost everyone in the big crowd had their phones pointed at the sky. I got mine out to do the same but quickly realised that what I could see on the little screen was crap compared to looking directly at the sky with my eyes, and what was the point in recording it for posterity? It'll just be an underwhelming video of a little aeroplane for ever afterwards.

 

[sime42]

2 hours ago, Steven P said:

 

Sounds like he has his own mind as far as these things go - an organisation as large as his has a certain momentum so I am not expecting him to suddenly make massive changes but small and steady slight alterations. Which is a benefit I think, far less inclined as politicians to follow the 'will of the people' and act rashly, to ensure being elected again, but in it for the long term

 

Quite. That momentum you speak of is a double edged sword. From a positive aspect it means that the organisation is much less susceptible to the dangers of Populism. The Pope and the Potus couldn't be much more different in that respect.

 

 

[Mark J]

 

[peds]

4 hours ago, sime42 said:

...the dangers of Populism. 

 

Pope-ulism. 

[Steven P]

On 09/05/2025 at 15:36, Mark J said:

 

 

For him and his German kids, open borders are a necessity. Hypocrisy of Brexit, all for it so long as his foreign family are OK to travel here.

 

 

 

 

His Reform councillors aren't doing so well just now, about half a dozen elected last week are either suspended, defected or left Reform.

[tree-fancier123]

1 - ok the super rich will try to avoid paying tax, but also they are not going to be scrounging benefits like illegal immigrants do

2 - Reform took more than 600 new council seats - if 6 have blown up, so what? Even a 10% attrition rate wouldn't matter

 

[AHPP]

The rich can be as bad dolescum as the poor. Poor people get universal credit. Rich people get land subsidies. It’s all scrounging. 

Edited May 10 by AHPP

[openspaceman]

On 09/05/2025 at 07:18, peds said:

Golf Course Living Linked To Higher Parkinson’s Risk?

WWW.PSYCHIATRIST.COM

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Incidental exposure to pesticides can elevate the risk of Parkinson’s disease for anyone living near a golf course.

 

People living within a mile of a golf course had more than twice the odds of Parkinson’s disease. The risk remained higher for people living up to three miles away but fades after that. Pesticides, including neurotoxins, used to keep fairways and greens well groomed, have been linked to Parkinson's.

 

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I am shocked!

 

 

It wouldn't surprise me, the thing is farmers target their use of approved pesticides in order to make a profit growing a crop, golf clubs require their workers to have grass monoculture and the men will apply an excessive amount to ensure that because they are answerable to the members. I have long felt golf courses are an an ecological disaster and have never like walking through them, which is a necessity round here  as many local farms diversified into golf clubs. including one I helped out on.